1. Smoke Break (already picked)
2. Renegade Runaway (most likely because of snippet played in SB video. super catchy, great for radio and live performances)
3. Church Bells (best song on the album with the best story line for a video)
4. Dirty Laundry (need at least one cheating/he did me wrong anthem in every era)
5. Choctaw County Affair (may not be radio friendly, but super popular among fans. if not released as a single, it will be the Wine After Whiskey of this era)

HMV (a leading music retail chain) are apparently advertising "Storyteller" as "containing the singles "Smoke Break" and "Heartbeat".

While it could be argued that this has jumped the gun, based on the fact that "Heartbeat" was pre-released and has done well on various sales charts - it does have the look of being official, as the two titles appear slowly in the promotional advertisement, one after the other, using the album type-face (and the other pre-releases are not mentioned)

Taking it at face value, therefore, it does look as if "Heartbeat" has probably been named as the second single in the UK. (That need not imply the US as well, since it is not that unusual to release different singles in different markets.)

We have no national radio network dedicated to Country Music, so singles are of less significance here - but if this does prove to be a release, they would be aiming to have it played in various slots on more general radio stations. BBC Radio 2 - an "Adult" Pop and General Music station - carries one well-listened weekly Country show - but also has a number of slots that concentrate on genre-free new and innovative music. It might be felt that "Heartbeat", which has some Country instrumentation, but an overall Pop-leaning feel, and a relatable romantic lyric, would fit well into that programming.

To me, it would not be the choice I'd hope for - primarily because I don't think it best represents stylistically what Carrie is doing on the stronger songs of this era. Also it strikes me as having a more "corporate" Mainstream style - and I don't see that as having a large impact here. If her team want a gentler song, I think it would probably do better later in the cycle (and I'd prefer it to be LINLYA, which strikes me as both more distinctive, and closer to what people here have liked on the "Nashvile" TV series.) But at this stage in the cycle, I think they might do better to hit hard with one of the dramatic songs.

"Church Bells" would be my top choice for second single. The Country shows here are mostly regional - but that needn't be a disadvantage. The national network could well play a hard-hitting song which is stylistically dramatic and interesting. Carrie's best chance, I feel, is to make her mark here as unique and different, rather than trying to "fit in" with a song that is considered internationally more neutral (a tactic that often risks losing much real impact)

Church Bells and Renegade Runaway sound like they were meant to be singles all along. It's hard to tell about the others though. At the end of the day it won't really matter which songs become singles, because the whole album is spectacular!

I didn't see we BA being well-received at radio because of its dark story, then I had doubts about Two Black Cadillacs coming right after it, and I had HARDCORE doubts about See You Again... There's really nothing country about SYA, it's pure adult contemporary. And all of them hit the Top 2 at radio, with BA beoming one of Carrie's signature songs.

CCA isn't exactly what most people would call radio friendly, but I think (or really hope) they release it. I have faith it'll be huge. Some of Reba's biggest hits (Fancy, TNTLWOIG) failed to even make the Top 5 at radio, and they're still well-known to this day. I could see CCA being that way.

I don't see how CCA will not be a single. It is the centerpiece of the entire album. I don't get the "not radio friendly" thing. It's the most country song Carrie has ever done I think. Also I think RR is certain to be a single. My other picks would be Heartbeat, Dirty Laundry, an Church Bells. I am assuming five singles but would love to see more. Would also choose What I Never Knew I Always Wanted, but I don't see it happening.

But-- I ADORE Chaser and Mexico too....so either would thrill me as a single.

Choctaw is amazing! But I don't see it as a radio single. But I do hope she performs it at an award show someday at the end of this album era when she has nothing left to sing. It deserves a day on tv.

I'm guessing the singles are most definitely the release party rooms, AND the order is reversed from room 5 to room 1

I'll go with:
Smoke Break: August - November 2015
Renegade Runaway: November 2015 - March 2016 (debuted at the AMAs, performed again at Dick Clark's New Years Eve/Grammys *fingers crossed)
Heartbeat: April 2016 - August 2016 (debuted at the ACMs w/ Sam Hunt, performed again at Billboard Awards/CMT Awards)
Church Bells: September 2016 - January 2017 (no big debut, performed again at CMAs/AMAs)
Dirty Laundry: February 2017 - July 2017 (debuted at Grammys *fingers crossed*, performed again at ACMs/maybe Billboards/CMTs)

Carrie Underwood Fans is an unofficial fan site dedicated to Nashville recording artist Carrie Underwood. Carrie Fans is in no way affiliated with Carrie Underwood, Arista, Arista Nashville or JRecords. All registered trademarks are property of their respective vendors.